The Icelandic government has decided not to grant citizenship to chess great Bobby Fischer. The decision was handed down yesterday by the Parliamentary general committee.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />
Saemundar Pálssonar, who claims to be a friend of Fischer, was advised to seek a travel visa from the Immigration Office for the former world champion of chess.
Fischer’s connection to Iceland dates back to 1972, when he defeated Russian Borris Spassky for the world championship of chess in Reykjavik.
Japanese authorities are currently holding Fischer while the US tries to extradite him for violating UN sanctions by playing a chess match in then-Yugoslavia in 1992.
